Home › From the United States › Cat to Japan

Bringing a cat from the United States to Japan

Yes — cats can enter Japan from the US, but the 180-day antibody-test wait means you must start about 7 months before you travel. There is no shortcut: arriving early means your cat waits out the remaining days in a quarantine facility.
~7 months
Start preparing
180-day titer wait + two vaccinations
180 days
Titer wait
Counted from the blood sampling date
≤12 hours
Quarantine if compliant
Up to 180 days if you arrive early
10 days
Health cert window
Pre-export inspection before boarding

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Cat · the United States → Japan
StepWhat to doWhen
MicrochipImplant an ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit) microchip. It must be in place before the first rabies vaccination — the same day is allowed. If the chip is not ISO, you must travel with your own reader. Before anything else
Rabies vaccination #1First rabies vaccination after the microchip, at 91 days of age or older. Inactivated or recombinant vaccine only — live and RNA vaccines are not accepted. Day 0 of the clock
Rabies vaccination #2Second vaccination at least 30 days after the first, while the first is still within its effective period. ≥30 days after #1
Rabies antibody (titer) testBlood test (FAVN or RFFIT) at a MAFF-designated laboratory — in the US: Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory or the DoD laboratory. Result must be 0.5 IU/ml or higher. Sampling on or after the day of the 2nd vaccination. After vaccination #2
Wait 180 daysYour pet may not arrive in Japan until at least 180 days after the blood sampling date. Arriving early means detention at an Animal Quarantine Service facility for the shortfall, up to 180 days. 180 days from sampling
Advance notificationFile the import notification with the Animal Quarantine Service office at your port of entry (by email or NACCS). Notifications less than 40 days ahead are, in principle, not accepted. ≥40 days before arrival
Health certificate + USDA endorsementGovernment health certificate (Form AC recommended) issued by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA via VEHCS; a pre-export clinical inspection within 10 days before boarding must confirm freedom from rabies (and leptospirosis for dogs). Final 10 days

Your preparation timeline

  1. 1~7 months out — Microchip, then rabies vaccination #1
  2. 2~6 months out — Rabies vaccination #2 (≥30 days after #1), then titer blood draw
  3. 3Months 1–6 — The 180-day waiting period runs; file the 40-day advance notification inside it
  4. 4Final 10 days — Pre-export inspection, health certificate, USDA endorsement
  5. 5Arrival — AQS inspection — usually cleared within 12 hours if everything is in order
The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Starting the clock too late. The 180 days run from the blood draw — not from the vaccination, not from when you book the flight. A dog whose blood was drawn 179 days ago is detained for the missing day, and detention can run to 180 days for pets that arrive with no valid wait at all.

Costs you can plan for

Japan publishes no government fee schedule for pet imports in its official guide: Animal Quarantine Service inspections are not charged, but if your pet is detained you pay all caretaking, transport, lighting/heating and veterinary-visit costs yourself. Add the US-side costs (two vaccinations, the designated-lab titer test, USDA endorsement) and air cargo. Because detention costs are not published in advance, the real financial risk on this route is arriving unprepared, not the paperwork itself.

✈️ Government rules are only half the trip. Airlines set their own pet carriage rules (crate size, breed limits, seasonal embargoes). Re-confirm carriage with your airline after you meet the rules above.

Questions people ask about this route

Can my cat skip quarantine in Japan?

If every step is complete — including the full 180-day wait after the titer test — the arrival inspection is normally finished within 12 hours and there is no further quarantine. Quarantine (detention) only applies when a requirement is missing or the wait is short.

Does Hawaii count as the US for Japan?

No. Hawaii and Guam are 'designated regions' for Japan and follow a much simpler procedure. This page covers mainland US departures, which Japan treats as a non-designated region.

How long is the titer result valid?

Two years from the blood sampling date, as long as rabies vaccination is kept continuously up to date.

Are any breeds banned in Japan?

Neither the MAFF guide nor the USDA page lists a breed ban for dogs or cats. Airlines may still refuse certain breeds — check carriage separately.

Related guides

✓ Last verified: 2026-11-11

Official sources for this page

We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.

Want a professional to run this route for you?

Licensed pet relocation companies handle permits, vet paperwork and flights daily. We are adding vetted partners for this route — check back soon.